Shatter
by Heleentje
Summary: Chapter 8: They've never met a person whose philosophy is so completely different from theirs. How can he just deny the bonds between them? Gem Beasts-centric
1. Shatter

Huh, I knew I'd be writing again, just not this soon. Anyway, the idea has been plagueing me for some time, because the Gem Beasts are awesome and sorely underappreciated. This might become part of a mini-series, but for now, it stands on its own.

Thanks to **Olynthus**!

**Disclaimer:** Not owning.

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**1. Shatter**

The first one is tiny, barely bigger than the gem it came from, but it's joyful, and those working on the gems stare in wonder as it flits across the room. The only part of its body referring to its color is the gem on its forehead and the sphere at the end of its tail: bright, brilliant red. And immediately a name is decided. This one, the smallest of them all, will be Ruby.

The second one is everything the first one isn't. Huge -no, gigantic- but with a tranquil nature and calm disposal. It stands in the middle of the room, and the first one –Ruby, they are reminded- happily floats over to it. They face each other, and Ruby chirps joyfully. The huge spirit lifts its trunk and touches the little one gently. It's a mammoth, and the stone that was used for its creation (the one that shattered in the process) is embedded in its forehead.

The next test chamber is in uproar when the third creature appears. This one is not exceptionally big, nor tiny like little Ruby, but its nature is much more ferocious than the previous ones. It growls when it materializes, and the people surrounding the (now shattered) topaz quickly back away. It can't harm them, they know, but this Tiger seems to have inherited the nature of its real-life counterpart.

Ruby isn't bothered, and neither is the giant mammoth (it has been christened Amber Mammoth by now). They both meet Topaz Tiger in the middle of the room, and the tiger quickly calms down and exchanges affectionate greetings.

The emerald poses no real problems, and soon the fourth Gem Beast appears. No one has yet figured out if this creature is a turtle or a tortoise, but someone (no one really knows who, it might even be a suggestion of the spirit itself) calls it Emerald Turtle, and the name sticks. The emeralds that give it its name jut out from its back, like spikes that utterly belie its nature. This one is a gentle one, and when it speaks (it's the first to speak) its voice is slow and calm. The other three Gem Beasts, free to go wherever they want (their cards are still being designed) walk over to the Turtle and greet it, like they greeted each other a few minutes earlier.

All the scientists in this lab have been handpicked, and all of them can see the spirits they are freeing. The card designers are already drawing the preliminary sketches. They hope to complete their work in a few days, whereupon the spirits will be sealed inside the cards. This won't limit their freedom of movement, however, as they're free to go wherever they want. As for now, the four spirits make their way over to the fifth gem. It's shining already, signaling that it will burst soon and release another gem beast, one that'll definitely resemble the sapphire in the test lab.

Ruby gives an excited cry when the sapphire shatters into pieces and a ray of blue light is released. When it fades, there's a new gem beast in its place, a cross between a pegasus and a unicorn. An argument breaks out among the scientists, and two groups are quickly formed: those who qualify the new Gem Beast as a unicorn, and want to name it as such, and those who think the wings are a more defining characteristic and call it a pegasus. In the end, it's the spirit itself that resolves the problem. It states, in no uncertain voice, that its name is Sapphire Pegasus, and that it would like to be referred to as such. The scientists are surprised, but not overly so. Some of them realize now that it was indeed Emerald Turtle who suggested its own name.

Their work is drawing to a close now, as the sixth gem, a cobalt, starts to shatter as well. Ruby flits around the lab excitedly, and the scientists who worked on freeing the spirit . Their work is already done, but a few of them go over to their working colleagues and start helping them. The cobalt proves to be a bit tricky, but the process ends in a success, and a second winged creature is born. An eagle.

By now, a few people have noticed that the Gem Beasts are bigger than their real-life counterparts, but they aren't bothered by it. Some of them still take a few steps backwards when Topaz Tiger passes, but they don't fear the spirit anymore. Topaz and Ruby get along well, and the way the tiger treats the tiny creature is enough to alleviate most of their worries.

Cobalt Eagle circles the lab now, and Sapphire Pegasus takes flight as well.

Ruby lands in between the scientists working on the very last gem, an amethyst, and lets out a worried cry. Its worries aren't unfounded, something's going wrong with the procedure and the gem is shattering too fast. The other five Gem Beasts gather next to the table and focus intently. They glow, and the amethyst glows as well. There's a bond between them that can't be broken by something as trivial as science, so while the glow brightens, some of the cracks in the amethyst close again and new ones start to form. It bursts suddenly, and the scientists are worried, but Sapphire Pegasus calms them down.

"It's okay. She'll be okay."

And then the last gem shatters, and Amethyst Cat stands in its place. The feline traits that give this new spirit its name are abundantly clear. Those scientists who own a cat smile when they see the look of haughty disdain the spirit throws at them. One look makes most of them feel guilty for almost destroying the gem and the spirit it held, but like the rest of the Gem Beasts, this one is good-natured as well, and doesn't carry a grudge. None of them do, they are happy to be reunited again.

This is a whole new family, just now created, and they have a very bright future ahead of them. They all know: somewhere, in a far-off country on the other side of the world, there is a boy who will eventually acquire their cards. He will complete their little family. There will be hard times, of course, but they will come out on top together.

As for now, they are happy in this lab, their birthplace. The gems from which they were created are shattered into pieces, and they have lost all their spiritual value (although someone will probably manage to make money out of them), but that doesn't really matter anymore. There is a new force now, and though their family isn't complete yet (there's the boy, and there's the dragon), they can wait. They're patient.

These are the Gem Beasts. Their story has just begun.


	2. About Peace

After some deliberation, I've decided to continue this little series (most of the follow-ups had taken shape already anyway). I have no fixed schedule for it, so I'll be updating irregularly.

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own, still don't want, unless they allow me to flesh out a few backstories here and there

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**2. De Pace**

The months following their creation are hectic. They spend three weeks getting to know each other, because even though they were a family from the very start, there's still so much to learn. This period is far from calm, there are too many things to see and too many stories to tell to even consider resting. They don't mind. They're spirits after all, they don't need to sleep.

All the while, they're being researched. Their cards have finally been designed and approved (it takes a team of several highly specialized designers more than a week to create the right image), and their effects have been thoroughly investigated. Now they finally get a place to rest, but they still don't need it and only retreat to their respective cards when travelling. Nonetheless, they appreciate the gesture and recognize that it will help them in their search.

Because now is the time to start looking for the rest of their family. The scientists assure them that the dragon will be created the instant they find the tablet, but the boy…

They don't know where he is. Even though their bond is already present, it's too weak to pinpoint his location. They only know that the person they're looking for is a boy, and that he's young. So they start searching. They're taken to tournaments all over the world, in the hope that one of the duelists participating will trigger a reaction. Hundreds of duelists, some good, some bad, but none of them the person they're looking for.

Instead, they see the stories. There's the story of the boy who wins his duel with his favorite monster (a Feral Imp), even though his opponent mocked the monster and its uselessness during the previous turn. The boy is ecstatic, and they can see the Feral Imp next to him, jumping up and down in unadultered glee and looking up at its owner with devotion shining in its eyes. And maybe it's because of their presence in the hall (they are said to create miracles, after all), but right there and then, the boy catches the first glimpse of his Spirit and all the other spirits surrounding them all.

They also see the sad stories. Like the story of the girl who loses in the final match, and throws the monster she holds responsible on the ground, before running towards the exit. The monster, Eria the Water Charmer (who in the end wasn't responsible for the loss at all), watches her disappear with tears streaming down her face, and Amethyst Cat, enraged, jumps in front of the girl and attempts to confront her. But it's no use, the girl can't see spirits and doesn't care about the orphaned Water Charmer.

Ruby floats over to her and attempts to console her, but nothing works, she's crying her heart out and even her familiar, the little Gigobyte with whom she shares such a close bond, can't help her.

But in the end, everything turns out all right. One of the spectators, a little girl, runs towards the stage (subtly nudged by Sapphire Pegasus and Emerald Turtle) and picks up the abandoned card. She smiles, delighted, and takes out three other cards. And suddenly three new spirits appear, three Charmers. Aussa the Earth Charmer and Wynn the Wind Charmer hug Eria, and Hiita the Fire Charmer twirls her staff and shoots a blast of fire at Eria's former owner. It doesn't affect her, of course, but it makes them all laugh. Eria the Water Charmer smiles and thanks Ruby, before disappearing with the other Charmers as the little girl leaves the stage.

They're glad to see her go, but now they're sad as well because the boy they're looking for still hasn't appeared, and even though they knew it wouldn't be easy, it still hurts to wait this long.

They witness eight more tournaments before they arrive at the right place. All the while, the news of their creation spreads like wildfire, and several powerful duelists and influential groups (Manjoume, they hear, and Senrigan) try to buy them. They're prepared to pay millions of dollars, but every offer gets declined. They're not the right people, only one person has the right to own their cards.

And then they arrive in Europe, and they know the wait is over. The moment they enter the tournament hall, they can feel the boy. They find him soon after. He's young, like they had predicted. He's still studying and new to the circuit, but he's creative and caring. This boy, Johan Andersen, is the person they've been looking for.

He wins the tournament in the end, but even if he hadn't won, it wouldn't have mattered (It just makes it easier to give him the cards). He is led towards the room where they have been placed after the end of the tournament, and they can sense his curiosity, but also his anxiety. He's not new to seeing spirits (he's been able to see them all his life), but he's felt the tug of their bond as well, and he's wondered what it meant.

But when they all appear in front of him, one by one, his anxiety quickly transforms into amazement, and he stares at them with wide eyes. Sapphire Pegasus insists on a formal introduction, but Ruby, never one for formalities, curls around his shoulders immediately, and he smiles. They all smile.

Their family is almost complete.


	3. Drawn

And here we have chapter 3. This one caused me some trouble, due to plotholes in canon, but I hope I managed to pull it off.

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine

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**3. Drawn**

Johan never throws away his old deck.

This makes them vaguely jealous, but they know they'd respect him less if he had abandoned his other monsters, because they know he's not like that.

Johan cares.

He's their brother, their friend, and in a vague sense their owner too. They belong to him and he belongs to them, but he's never been theirs alone. Johan is a child of the world, destined for great things. They'll help him and support him with everything they've got.

At North School, they're often alone. Johan has a lot of admirers, but very few friends. That's not through lack of trying, but Johan is too kind and too special, for people to trust him. They only see him angry once, when someone (driven by jealousy) attempts to steal them. The result is a duel that culminates in a One Turn Kill and a lecture that makes the other duelist cower in fear and his monsters turn their backs on him. This duelist will have a hard time repairing the bond between him and his cards, after all, he wanted to abandon them for a group of monsters he could not even dream of controlling.

But Johan is too kind. They worry about him, he doesn't belong in North School, where the climate and the people are too harsh for him.

So when an exchange program for Duel Academia is announced, and Johan enters his candidature, they pray he'll be picked. When they ask him about the Academia, Johan tells them about a student that arrived when he was still in his first boy, Manjoume Jun, dueled his way through the elite of the school without breaking a sweat, and Johan tells them how he watched in awe and hoped that one day he would go to the school where the boy came from.

"Is that the reason why you want to go?" Amber Mammoth asks.

Johan shakes his head, and says that he feels drawn to Duel Academia. There's something there that he needs to find.

"Is it Rainbow Dragon?" Emerald Turtle asks.

"It might be," Johan says, "it's important."

He's ecstatic when he's chosen to go to Duel Academia, and so are they. Duel Academia will be good for him, they know, but they still worry.

"It will change everything," Sapphire Pegasus states.

"It will," Johan confirms, "but you'll always be my family."

The summer holidays pass in a blur. Johan spends his days packing clothes, procuring a passport and going through his possessions. They'll be traveling by ship, which Amethyst Cat thinks is utterly ridiculous, because a plane would be faster and much more comfortable.

Life works in strange ways. When Johan sets foot on the ship he shivers, and tells them that he needs to stay hidden. When they ask him why he shrugs and says that he's got a bad feeling about the other passengers.

So they hide. It's easy, because they can warn Johan when someone's coming. There are a few close calls, the champion of West School, O'Brien, is too perceptive and the crocodile that the Southern champion, carries with him often picks up on Johan's scent, but they manage to evade them all. In the meantime, they study their traveling companions. They don't like O'Brien or professor Cobra, but the student from South, Jim, isn't threatening. Amon Garam nearly discovers them, when Johan has trouble holding back his laughter at seeing the student talking into his microphone. Cobalt Eagle deems him harmless.

They spend the days inside the many corridors of the ships and the nights outside on deck or looking for food. It's peaceful. But Johan refuses to reveal himself.

Nothing happens.

The journey is quiet, there are no accidents, and Amethyst Cat is rather pissed off when they finally arrive at Duel Academia. Johan justifies:

"Maybe something would've happened if I had shown myself."

They'll never know.

Amethyst Cat is still angry, but Johan frowns and her angry demeanor quickly changes to concern. Johan tells them that there's more to come.

They go to the roof, because Johan has some time left before the start of the opening ceremony and he likes high places (he spent a lot of time overlooking the sea when they were still on the ship). It's there that they meet Yuki Juudai for the very first time.

Johan knows about him, he spent some time looking up duelists who can see spirits, but the encounter still leaves him awestruck. Juudai is special, they all know it.

Later, when they are running through the hallways, because Johan is late and lost, he tells them that he feels a bond with the other boy.

"Is he the one you were looking for?" Sapphire Pegasus asks.

"Maybe," Johan answers, "he is important."

Johan is right, of course, and they realize it the moment he and Juudai are picked to duel each other. The match is thrilling, both Johan and Juudai are competitive and neither wants to give up. This is one duel that will be remembered for a long time.

Johan looks happy, but they can still feel his sadness when he reveals that he doesn't have Rainbow Dragon. He laughs, but they know the pain the separation is causing him. They feel the same.

But they don't have much time to think of the Dragon. For a few weeks, life at Duel Academia is good. Johan and Juudai become fast friends and spend almost all their time together. Juudai shows them the secrets of the island, and talks endlessly about past adventures. They absorb it all. Duel Academia is truly interesting!

But after a while they start realizing that Johan was right when he hid on the ship. Jim is kind and Amon isn't unfriendly either, but when Sho is kidnapped and Juudai is roped into dueling O'Brien for his freedom, they know that weird things are happening. And when Juudai faints afterwards, they realize that Duel Academia isn't safe anymore.

Johan shivers. Things are changing.


	4. About Family

Chapter 4, which was pretty much hell to keep canon-compliant. I'm not entirely happy about it, but yeah...

Lots of thanks to **Olynthus** for helping me out with this chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Not owning

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**4. De Familia**

Like everyone else, they sometimes hate being right. They especially hate being right when it means imminent danger. So when they predict that things are changing and that prediction comes true, they aren't happy.

Juudai and O'Brien recover soon enough, but they're not the only victims. Within days, Kenzan and Jim have taken their places, followed by Manjoume, Amon, and the majority of the school. Johan hasn't ended up in the hospital room yet, but they're afraid that it's only a matter of time, because he probably will end up dueling eventually, that's just the way he is.

'Eventually' comes much too fast, of course. There's a complete forest underneath the island, and Johan, Juudai and their friends want to explore it. Amethyst Cat is annoyed by this decision, while Cobalt Eagle wonders about the island itself, because none of them can provide a logical explanation for an artificial forest of this size. It doesn't make them any less worried.

Especially not when the group decides to split up. While Johan, Juudai and Sho go in one direction and Jim, Asuka and Kenzan take the other side, Topaz Tiger demands to know if they have ever watched a horror movie -any horror movie-, and swears to make Johan watch a whole batch of them once they get back to a place with a TV. His warnings go unnoticed by Johan, unfortunately, since he and Sho manage to lose Juudai after only a few minutes. The resultant search amounts to nothing. This only annoys all of them further.

Because the one thing they have always hated is being helpless. They are strong spirits, but they can't take a physical form and it prevents them from effectively protecting Johan and each other. The feeling only increases when they find Juudai passed out after what appears to be another Dis Duel. This place is not safe, but maybe they can make it to Cobra without further problems.

They have once again spoken too fast. The next moment, everything goes horribly wrong.

Family is family, and family has to be protected, so it's Sapphire Pegasus who catches the hit meant for Topaz Tiger and is captured in his stead.

And of course they go after him, what else can they do! It means leaving Juudai behind, but Juudai can take care of himself, and Sapphire Pegasus is in danger. Family always comes first.

But what they were so afraid of happens. Johan has to duel this time, and there's so much at stake! They feel horrible. What gives that man the right to follow him? Why does he want to destroy their family? Johan is struggling so hard, and now Sapphire Pegasus too...! He'll die if he stays in that trap!

And what does he want from them? What gives him the right to trap Amethyst Cat and Amber Mammoth? What does he know about Rainbow Dragon? Giese... What's wrong with him?

And how dare he suggest it! How dare he say Johan only keeps them for their powers! he knows nothing about them, nothing at all! Johan will never use them, he's just as horrified as they are. If only they could help him...

But what does he want? They wonder: does he want to capture them, as he claims? Or does he want to crush Johan, destroy his oldest and most precious dream and break him into tiny little pieces? To make him choose between them and his dream... Them and an innocent spirit. How can one person be so horrible?

Thank goodness for Juudai.

He shouldn't be here, he's still too weak after his own duel, but they can only be grateful. Because now that Jerry Beans Man is safe, nothing is stopping them from getting their revenge.

Giese should know better than trying to break bonds that are stronger than he can ever understand. He's a fool, and they'll let him know it. He never should've tried to break their family.

And if he has his own tragic past, they honestly can't pity him. Johan does, and maybe Ruby too, but Topaz Tiger scoffs and Sapphire Pegasus refuses to listen. If he had looked for his own spirit instead of destroying the lives of others… That's what Johan would've done. That's what Johan did.

Johan killed to get them back. They'd do the same in a heartbeat.

But it's the Dis-belts that caused Johan to kill Giese. That too is unacceptable, because Johan shouldn't be a murderer. Neither should Juudai, even though he probably hasn't realized the scope of what he's done yet. The Dis-belts don't just tap their energy, they turn duelists in unwitting and unwilling murderers. Cobra… They'd love to take their anger out on him, but this is Juudai's task.

They'll watch, though. And they'll protect him as well, because even though he's not family, he's dear to them. After Juudai beats Cobra, they'll be safe.

But Juudai is struggling. He's not the duelist they fought the day they arrived. He's weaker now, and he hesitates. Something is wrong, he has lost his will to duel. He has given up, even though they need him now more than ever. Johan can feel the darkness and they can clearly see it. How can it be that Juudai doesn't notice? Is he so engrossed with his search for a purpose?

Why is he even looking for one, It's right there, in front of him. The world needs him, and they thought he already knew. After all the stories he's told Johan… Can it be that he's really that naïve? They're all relying on him, why can't he see that?

"You fool! What are you trembling for?!"

How lucky they all are to have Johan, who never keeps silent, even if no one else dares to speak up. When everyone else has abandoned hope, it'll always be Johan who takes matters into his own hands. Even if the rest of the world doesn't realize that, they, his family, know it very well, and they will keep fighting with him. So if Juudai doesn't know what he's fighting for, Johan will be the one to remind him. They all depend on him, not just his friends, not just his monsters, but the whole school! How can he even think for one second he hasn't got a reason to fight?

Now that's more like it.

Juudai's luck is legendary, and of course it doesn't fail him now. And with Magma Neos on the field, this duel will be over within seconds. Maybe, after that, they can finally return to Duel Academia, where they'll all be safe. After all, with Cobra out of the way, there's no one left to threaten them.

No one…

But of course that's too easy. It seems that no one cares about their safety, because suddenly Cobra's dead and they're not on the island anymore. Their lives are about to take a turn for the worse.

This is a different world. A dangerous world.

So many monsters surrounding them, and they're all real! Juudai can't protect them anymore, he can barely stand on his feet and he's slowing them down. The only good thing is that they're real here as well. They can protect Johan themselves.

Johan shouldn't need protecting.


	5. Unity

I am incredibly sorry for the long wait, so consider this as a Christmas present that was long overdue :)

This chapter focuses on the events in episodes 120 -130.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters or events described in this story

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**5. Unity**

They know there's trouble when Johan starts giving commands. Not because Johan is a bad leader, but because Johan never takes charge unless he knows they're in danger.

And now there's danger everywhere. Once they might've considered being solid a good thing, but now they realize that it only makes this situation so much worse. 'Cause if they are solid, if they are _real_, it means all the other monsters are too.

They can't count on Juudai. The duel with Cobra has exhausted him to the point where he can't even walk on his own anymore. He has to rest first, and in the meantime they need to calm down the entire school. Why did these students even end up here? They had nothing to do with Cobra, or with the weird energy being that manifested right before they arrived here.

None of them are naïve enough to think that this is a coincidence. Duel Academia has been the epicenter of disaster more than once, so while it is terrible that they are here, it isn't entirely illogical.

_But what caused it all? _Cobalt Eagle muses. They know what the answer is, know _who_ the answer is, but they won't say it out loud.

Unless Johan is in immediate danger, they won't show themselves. Their appearance would only cause panic with the students who aren't used to seeing spirits, and panic is the very last thing they need right now. Especially since the other students are already nervous and rebellious. If only they'd listen to Johan! Why can't they keep calm?

And why are the Dis-belts still working? How can they protect Johan if it'll only hurt him? Who is playing such a sick game with them?

They really should try to watch what they're saying. Because just when they think this situation can't get any worse, it does. Now they've got one missing student, one wounded student, and no efficient medicine at hand. The girl -Rei- is getting worse every minute, and they can only watch helplessly. They hate it.

Luckily they've still got a chance. If the boy who just arrived, tells the truth, there's a submarine in the desert. Maybe they'll be able to find medicine there. Naturally the journey isn't easy, but in the end it's worth it. Even though Johan loses even more of his energy, they still manage to find what they need and get out of the submarine safely. Now all they need to do is get back to Duel Academia, treat Rei and try to find a way to go back home.

… But of course it's not that simple. Amethyst Cat wonders bitterly why they even suspected things would work out in their favor. The school seems deserted when they arrive, but it doesn't take long for them to discover the truth. Zombies.

Of all things, it just had to be zombies. The concept is so incredibly ridiculous that they'd laugh, if the zombified students weren't so dangerous. They're absolutely everywhere, and they just don't give up. With only a few surviving students, how do they stand a chance?

Eventually they do manage to escape. Juudai even manages to defeat Ayukawa-sensei and save Rei. Topaz Tiger takes her away gladly, and a bit later they're all safe. They can relax for now.

Safety, of course, is relative. Because then Martin, the missing student, shows up again. Only he's not himself. They know very well that something's taken control of him and they even know what took control of him.

"After all," Topaz Tiger says, "it's not like there's much choice."

But why? They don't know. Only that Martin wants a duel, and that Johan wants to take Juudai's place. They can't fault him for thinking the way he does. Johan's probably right, everything centers around Juudai. But for them, it's Johan who is most important. Johan is family, Juudai's just a friend. A good friend, but a friend nonetheless.

Still, they'll do whatever they can. They'll always do whatever they can because that is what family does.

Sapphire Pegasus wonders about their opponents. Is it really a surprise that O'Brien got the Masked Knight of Laughter and Jim got the Masked Knight of Anger? And is it really a surprise that Johan, passionate, outspoken Johan, has to duel the Masked Knight of Impassivity? Whoever's behind this likes irony, that much is certain.

Eventually, they beat him, but it takes them a lot longer than they would have liked. By the time the duel ends, Juudai has disappeared and there's talk about the 'Three Sacred Beasts'. It sounds ominous, and they don't want to find out what those monsters are capable of. Knowing their luck, they probably will anyway.

But then it all doesn't matter anymore, because then suddenly, they've got contact with their home world! There's a way to return, and best of all, it involves Rainbow Dragon. Rainbow Dragon has been found and will be sent to them!

Finally, _finally_, their family will be complete.

Johan will have to duel Hell Kaiser. They've hfeard about him, from Juudai and from the rumors that spread throughout Duel Academia, and they know it would be bad to underestimate him. Luckily it isn't an official duel. All they have to do is create enough energy to open a gateway between dimensions. It will drain Johan even more, but this time they all agree that it's worth it. Once they find Rainbow Dragon, they can go back home, and this time, they will together as a complete family.

Of course, then Juudai gets roped into a duel with the entity possessing Martin. They'd like to help him, just like Johan, but they have to find Rainbow Dragon first.

… Which actually turns out to be surprisingly easy. Cobalt Eagle gets attacked a few times, but he doesn't get into any real trouble. And even though they almost lose Rainbow Dragon to the sand, it's Johan who saves the card and Rainbow Dragon who protects him in turn.

They can feel him already. Rainbow Dragon, the last member of their family. His presence is warm and comforting. He promises to protect them and they promise the same without a second's thought. Their family is complete, finally complete! This feeling is unlike any feeling they ever felt before. They are together. They _belong_.

Now they only have to help Juudai, defeat the being that caused all this and find a way back home. It suddenly doesn't feel impossible. They're one family and as long as they stay together, no task will ever be too difficult. Even the Three Sacred Beasts won't be able to stop them. Now that Johan has managed to summon Rainbow Dragon, their opponent won't stand a chance.

… Yubel won't stand a chance.

Admittedly, they're surprised. They have known for a long time that Juudai was important and that this being was somehow obsessed with him, but they hadn't expected their connection to be of this nature. But that doesn't matter. Yubel threatened everyone, and Juudai obviously wants nothing to do with her. So this time, they will save everyone. They'll go home…

"Rainbow Dragon… Fly. Become everyone's bridge!"

So beautiful… So beautiful to have their family together at last… They can only watch as Rainbow Dragon takes everyone home. They're transfixed, all of them, but Johan most of all. He's so fascinated that he doesn't even pay attention to Yubel, even though she's still there. Neither do they, but they should have. Oh, they should have…

And now it's already too late.


	6. The Right Way

Here's chapter 6 for you guys. Hope you all have fun tonight and/or tomorrow and happy new year to all of you!

Lots of thanks to **Olynthus** for going over this once again!

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own, and it wasn't even on my wish list this year

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**6. The Right Way**

Struggling against the chains of their advanced forms is tiring, and ultimately it seems to be utterly pointless. There's no way to break free, not as long as Johan is possessed by that… that _monster_! How dare she hurt him! What gives her the right?

Rainbow Dragon roars and lashes out, but smacks right into the invisible barrier that prevents them all from helping, and they can only watch helplessly as Hell Kaiser, the one they fought so long ago, is beaten by their advanced forms.

At least he loses on his own terms, loses with such splendor -such magnificence- that he might as well have won. But they still have to mourn for him. His brother is crying, and Amethyst Cat starts sobbing too. She was the first to attack, and she hates herself for having the special effect that can hurt all their opponents immediately. This fight… They wanted to prevent all the fights, but they never succeeded. It's hopeless.

The worst part is staying conscious. Maybe if they didn't realize they were trapped, didn't know the horror they caused, this would all be bearable. But that's not the way it is, nor is it the way they want it to be. Their only chance of freeing Johan is staying awake and taking the first chance they can get.

Juudai is calling out now, and they want to answer him so badly. Topaz Tiger jumps up, but he only smacks into the barrier and he roars in frustration. He doesn't even feel the pain.

If only they could talk to him… _He_ can help Johan, he can save them all!

Ruby keeps trying. She tries until her body is battered from the constant impacts. Cobalt Eagle catches her and shields her with his wings to protect her and stop her from trying again. She struggles weakly to get up again, but to no avail. She's exhausted. They're all exhausted.

Even worse than being conscious is knowing where Johan is and not being able to reach him. Even Rainbow Dragon himself can't wake him up, even though he's been trying from the very beginning. If only Johan hadn't been so enthralled with the dragon, if only his soul hadn't been so easy to separate from his body!

It would be so easy to blame Rainbow Dragon, but they know how happy Johan was when he found him. They were all happy. And no matter what, Johan's happiness (_all_ of their happiness) is much more important than any petty grudges they might carry. It isn't the Dragon's fault, he's just a victim. They all are.

Why did _she_ have to show up! Their family had finally been completed…

And now Johan's body is so weak, it might give out any second, and then all their efforts will have been completely useless. Amber Mammoth stomps on the surface they're standing on, trying to make it crack, but the attempt fails like all their other attempts.

There's another victim. They don't have to duel him this time, but that doesn't lessen the pain. They know who he is and even though they never really liked him, they mourn for him as well. They can hear him scream, and the echo all around them makes his words so painfully appropriate and ironic at the same time. It's like even the resonance wants to mock him.

Sapphire Pegasus unfurls his wings and tries to fly, but fails, just like all the other times. Emerald Turtle retracts his head until they can only see the glow of his eyes.

At least Johan's body won't give out anymore, they can feel that it's regained some of its strength.

But there's commotion now, and they can see Juudai. Angry, concerned and _loyal_ Juudai, who will be able to help them. For a while, they can hope.

Until Cobalt Eagle lets out an anguished shriek and covers his head with his wings. 'Cause how can Juudai help them? If he wins, Johan dies, and if he loses, they'll all be trapped here forever! What if he dies? He can't die! Johan!

She'll never allow him to go free…

And now the duel is already underway, they're too late to stop it. There's nothing they can do, they're forced to attack the only person who can help them and-

Why is he shouting?

He's found Johan!

Maybe Juudai really can turn this around, maybe they can hope again!

If only he doesn't lose… But now he's defenseless, and Sapphire Pegasus has to attack!

And then everything changes.

There's a glimpse of Hane Kuriboh, and suddenly the barrier all around them shatters and they're free! Juudai's with them, and maybe, just maybe, they'll be able to reach Johan now. It might be enough, it might be…

Please let it be enough!

And right there, _right there_, they can feel their bond being restored. Johan's awake again, and even though they're being sucked back into their prisons, even though Topaz Tiger has to bear the consequences, it's worth it. They did it! It's only a matter of time now…

Rainbow Dragon roars loudly, and the barrier around them shatters with such a tremendous force that they all duck for cover. But they're free, and Johan is finally back with them!

Juudai did it! _They_ did it!

But of course Yubel isn't going to let him go that easily. Even while Rainbow Neos is still on the field, she tries one last time to hurt them all. They're not worried. Juudai immediately saves Johan, and even if he hadn't, it wouldn't have mattered, they would've saved him themselves. In this dimension they can be real. They can finally help again.

Of course, Yubel is still around. But they know it won't take long now. Juudai will beat her and they will finally be able to go home. This nightmare will be over at last. Johan will recover and they'll be together as one family. They have to help Juudai one last time, but they're more than happy to do so. He's the one who saved them all, so now they will protect him in return. It's what Johan wants. It's what they all want.

They'll make it happen. Together.


	7. About Friendship

This chapter is of course incredibly late, as is traditional. I apologize, real life has been very exhausting. This was also supposed to be the last chapter, but it isn't. Expect at least one more chapter soon, depending on how fast my brain wants to work.

Thanks once more to **Olynthus**, and also to **IcyLugia101.**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of its characters.

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**7. De Amicitia**

Norway should be a place where they can relax, and for a few weeks, it's exactly that. They're glad to be home. They know that Johan misses Duel Academia, but even though they like the people, they don't like the Academia itself. Danger magnet, they all know. It's safer to be here.

A part of their memory has gone missing. It's the part about what happened between the end of Juudai's duel with Yubel, and their return to Duel Academia. They didn't really participate in the duel with Yubel; only Rainbow Dragon ever made it onto the field, and even he didn't stay for long. Still, they know that something happened to make Juudai change his mind about Yubel, and they're happy for him. But that doesn't mean they like her. She's caused too much trouble and she's hurt them and Johan too much for them to consider forgiving her. Maybe, one day, they will. But not now. Not yet.

In the meantime, part of their memory is still missing. It's a bit unsettling, and they all wonder what exactly happened while they were with Juudai. Rainbow Dragon seems to have retained his memory, but refuses to talk about it outright. He only tells them that they are not meant to learn what Juudai has on his journey, and that Juudai has ensured that they won't remember. Better this way, the knowledge will only hurt them.

Johan asks them about it, of course. They've all felt the pain of separation, especially after they'd just been reunited after so much time apart, and especially when there's so much space between them. However, their pain has been dulled by the memory loss. Johan's hasn't.

"You don't remember?" he asks, and Rainbow Dragon explains to him, once again, why they don't. He doesn't want to tell Johan the story either.

"Why, though?" Sapphire Pegasus asks the dragon later on. "I can understand why you won't tell us; it would defeat the purpose. But why not Johan? He has the right to know."

"He has," Rainbow Dragon agrees. "But I do not have the right to tell him."

"Juudai," Cobalt Eagle guesses.

"Juudai," Rainbow Dragon agrees. "He will tell Johan when they meet again."

Not _if,_ but _when_. They all know Johan and Juudai will meet again, and probably soon too. They just don't know if they should look forward to it.

"I think I'm going back to Duel Academia when they graduate," Johan says one day. "It's a few weeks after I'll graduate."

Money has never been a problem for Johan. The first journey to Duel Academia had been paid for by the schools, of course, but Johan is one of the best duelists in the world. He has won more than enough tournaments to earn the money to go to Japan. And they can't blame him for wanting to go. Johan has been happier during the few weeks he's really spent at Duel Academia than he's been at North Academia. They just wish it weren't such a dangerous place.

But then, what harm can one trip do?

… They really should start paying more attention to their own words.

At least they don't get involved right away. In fact, they're blissfully unaware of any kind of trouble until O'Brien calls them one day, in the middle of the night. That means that it's afternoon in Japan. It also means that something has probably gone horribly wrong.

Johan, of course, takes the first plane he can find to Domino City . He considers taking an earlier plane that only goes to Tokyo, but finally decides to wait a bit longer. It'll get him to Duel Academia faster.

They arrive at Domino airport late at night, and manage to find a lone taxi to the harbor. Johan doesn't know exactly what's going on, O'Brien never managed to elaborate, but apparently something is wrong in both Domino City and Duel Academia. Something about people disappearing. It sounds right up Juudai's alley.

And speaking of Juudai, Johan tells them that he's supposed to be in the city, but they don't know where to start looking for him. Their best bet is to go to Duel Academia.

"I could look for him," Cobalt Eagle offers, but Johan shoots him down.

"Too dangerous," he decides. "We don't know what's going on, I don't want us to get separated."

_Or disappear_. He doesn't say it, but they all know he's thinking it.

The docks are utterly deserted when they arrive. Johan tries to call O'Brien (he's been trying ever since they arrived in Japan), but fails to reach him. He then tries Juudai, but Juudai either has his cell phone switched off or not with him at all, because he doesn't pick up either. They've been looking around for about ten minutes when they hear the sound of a motorcycle come nearer.

… And turn around just in time to see it skid right into the sea.

Johan runs forward, but the driver seems relatively unharmed.

"Juudai?" Emerald Turtle wonders when they get a closer look. It _is_ Juudai, and he doesn't look particularly healthy, even considering he's just fallen of a riding motorbike. Johan runs forward.

_Wait._

"What?" Johan asks, but Rainbow Dragon only shakes his head. _He's not himself. Wait. _

Juudai gets up slowly and walks towards the water, but stops when he sees Johan. "You're… Mr. T!"

"Who?" Amethyst Cat asks sharply, but Johan ignores her and steps forward. "I'm glad you're safe, Juudai."

"Stop it! Saiou told me everything! You're aiming for Duel Academia!"

"What? Who's Saiou?" Amethyst Cat asks again.

"Juudai…"

"Get out of my way!"

"He does not see the real you, Johan," Rainbow Dragon sounds sad. "Duel him. I will try to get through to him."

Juudai has already activated his Duel Disk when they look up again. Johan shakes his head, but activates his Disk anyway.

"Do we really have to duel?"

_It is the only way._ _We must find out what is wrong._

Juudai starts off with a standard move: Burst Lady and a face-down card. They can't predict what he's going to do yet.

"Come forth, Cobalt Eagle!"

"A Gem Beast?" Juudai exclaims in shock.

"Well, obviously," Amethyst Cat butts in. "What else would it be?"

She gets cut off when Johan summons her through Golden Rule's effect, and summons Topaz Tiger immediately afterwards. Juudai seems to be getting worse every minute. He manages to take a sizeable chunk out of Johan's life points, but Johan immediately retaliates by activating Amethyst Cat's special effect. She ends up in the graveyard, as does Ruby Carbuncle, but after just one turn most of the Gem Beasts are either on the field or in the graveyard. They'll be able to summon Rainbow Dragon soon.

"Magic card! Polymerization!"

Johan almost jumps, though Juudai doesn't notice. "That card! It's that card!"

"It is," Rainbow Dragon replies over Topaz Tiger's shouts of _How does he know?_

Ruby Carbuncle chirps excitedly.

"Yeah, but it's not like with Cobra, you're not helping him see this time," Sapphire Pegasus answers. Ruby shakes her head, disappointed, and curls her tail around her body.

"You have to summon me as fast as you can," Rainbow Dragon continues. Johan nods and uses Elemental Hero Tempester's attack to send the remaining Gem Beasts to the graveyard. They're ready.

"Focus on that card," Johan mutters as he activates Rainbow's Gravity. Rainbow Dragon nods as he is summoned.

"Over the rainbow!"

"We got it!" Topaz Tiger shouts when Juudai gets hit by Rainbow Dragon's attack, and the Polymerization card slips out of his discard slot. Juudai screams as the taint of the card leaves him, and Johan steps forward, but Rainbow Dragon stops him again.

"Not yet. Wait until the influence has left him. Wait until he recognizes you."

Johan nods, but they feel him hesitate. Juudai is suffering and they want nothing more than to help him. But if they're lucky…

"Johan?"

"Yes," Johan sighs, relieved, "You finally recognized me, Juudai." He deactivates his Duel Disks and runs forward as Juudai falls over, probably due to a combination of stress and exhaustion. The duel won't have a winner, but nobody cares at this point.

"Johan? It's really you?"

"Of course! No one but me can control the Gem Beasts." Johan smiles, and they all nod in agreement.

"But then… I-"

"It was that card that deceived you," Johan explains. "It was never your fault."

"So when Saiou put in that card… I'm sorry! How could I think you were an enemy?"

"Who's Saiou again?" Amethyst Cat asks, but everyone ignores her. She shakes her head and settles for licking her paws. Sapphire Pegasus nudges them, and appears before Juudai.

"You have overcome the darkness already," he assures Johan and Juudai both, "I know you can face it again."

The rest of them choose this moment to materialize as well, together with Juudai's monsters. Johan gets up and offers Juudai his hand.

"Let's go, Juudai."

"Yeah. Together, I'm sure we can do this!"

* * *

Concrit is love!


	8. Life's Philosophy

Happy New Year to all of you! As a sort-of gift I give you the last chapter of Shatter. Honestly, I've been putting it off long enough, and I'm glad I could bring it to its conclusion. So, I hope you all enjoy! It was hard to write sometimes, and it was my constant 'need to work on this' story, but in the end, I still enjoyed working on it very much.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh GX

**Notes:** This chapter describes the events from episode 173 to 179, but the main focus lies on episodes 175 and 176. Having seen the episodes in question is higly recommended.

* * *

**8. Life's Philosophy**

Juudai uses the boat trip to Duel Academia to fill Johan in on everything that happened while they were gone. It's still a bit hard to understand why Juudai willingly fused with Yubel, but Johan seems to have no problem accepting it, so they stay silent for his sake. Even so, there will always be a kind of lingering resentment towards her; she possessed Johan, she hurt them all. But it's Juudai's choice, and Johan is okay with it. They don't have the right to interfere.

They have more pressing problems to deal with, anyway. The disappearances Juudai talks about remind them eerily of what they've heard about the Dark World. Does the loser of every duel just vanish? Does that mean that Johan and Juudai were actually in danger during their duel in the harbor?

Topaz Tiger asks, but Juudai shakes his head.

"It's only when you lose to Mr. T.," he assures them, and immediately follows up with an explanation of who exactly Mr. T. is. They're not quite sure if they understand everything, but they do understand that the situation is urgent. Duel Academia is several hours away, and they're all tired, but Juudai is driven by a kind of urgency they've only seen once before, when he tried to save Johan. Only now do they start to realize what it means for him to be the Supreme King.

But it's already too late when they reach Duel Academia. They don't know Tenjoin Fubuki well, but they know he's a kind person. Even though they never talked much, he's always been nice to Johan, and it hurts to see them duel this new person. It seems like they used to be friends. What's worse than having to duel someone who you obviously care about? They root for him; Cobalt Eagle even shouts out his support, but he doesn't hear. For a minute, it looks like he'll win, only for the other person -Fujiwara- to turn it all around at the very last moment. And when Fubuki loses, he disappears. Is that what's in store for them? For Johan?

"No," Sapphire Pegasus reminds them all. "We won't think like that. We'll duel him, and we'll beat him."

Johan, who is usually at least vaguely aware of their conversations, nods. He already knows what has to be done, and he's glad he gets the chance.

"You should not be confused by listening to a card spirit," Fujiwara announces loudly, and they don't even need to look at Johan to feel his anger. It perfectly mirrors their own. Who does that guy think he is?

"That's it," Topaz Tiger growls, "We're taking him down even if it's the last thing we ever do."

And a duel seems like the best way for that, but it's dangerous. If Johan loses, it's game over. And they're not quite sure why Fujiwara wanted a Battle Royale instead of a Tag Duel. It will only give him the disadvantage, so they're sure he has a reason. What reason, they don't know. They don't even know if they want to find out.

Fujiwara goes first, summoning one of his Clear monsters. Johan summons Emerald Turtle next and Juudai ends the round by bringing out Elemental Hero Wildman. They look on warily, but the duel seems to progress normally. Even when Clear World is brought out, they're not too bothered. Johan has dealt with worse.

Until-

"Johan, be careful!"

They don't even need Juudai's warning. Fujiwara is trying to enter Johan's mind, and they won't allow that! Besides, if Yubel couldn't find any darkness, why would this guy be able to? He can try. He can try as often as he wants, but…

There's another presence there with them. Familiar, caring. Trying to protect Johan, trying to keep him hidden… Is that-?

"I see it! So his darkness is Yuuki Juudai!"

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Amethyst Cat voices. Johan has darkness? _Juudai_ is Johan's darkness? They collectively shake their head. Johan wants to beat Juudai, of course he does. But he's the fifth best duelist in the world. Shouldn't dueling be in his nature? Does that even qualify as darkness?

Apparently it doesn't, because it only takes Johan a little more than one minute to shake off Fujiwara's influence. The bond between all of them tells them right away what Johan is planning, and they go along with it, of course. Johan wants to fool Fujiwara, and they're more than happy to help him with that, even if it means attacking Juudai. Amethyst Cat does so without complaints.

Juudai, for his part, seems to worry about Johan, but they can already see that he too knows of the ruse. He even goes along with it perfectly, displaying a level of awareness that almost borders on telepathy. They're starting to wonder if that truly isn't the case. The combo they're executing is much too complicated to pull off without communication, and yet they're doing it.

"They can both act really well," Emerald Turtle muses, wincing slightly as Johan gets knocked over by the trap card Juudai activates, then cheering as Johan uses a card of his own to boost Sapphire Pegasus' attack.

And then Johan breaks character, Juudai following suit.

It is immensely satisfying to see Fujiwara's face when Sapphire Pegasus attacks him. The look of shock at being fooled by them is absolutely priceless. It will be something they'll remember to laugh at in days to come.

But right now, there's a duel to win. And even though they Juudai manages to bring down his life points all the way to 800, they're still sure that Fujiwara has something planned.

"It would be too easy," Amber Mammoth decides. And he's right; Juudai takes a serious attack from Clear Vice Dragon only minutes later. The tide has turned again, now in Fujiwara's favor. If they don't beat him, if Johan loses… No, they won't think about that.

And Fujiwara… They've never met a person whose philosophy is so completely different from theirs. How can he just deny the bonds between them? Just trash, he says… No doubt he has a reason for acting like this, but they don't know, and they don't particularly care either.

"Don't worry," Johan assures them. Just like they are able to hear what goes on in his mind, he can also hear what they are thinking and he's been following their conversations. "Don't let him get to you. We can take him out right now."

Of course, that's when it all goes straight to hell.

A few minutes later, Sapphire Pegasus, Cobalt Eagle and Emerald Turtle have been destroyed by Juudai's Flame Wingman. They're powerless. As long as Johan and Juudai have to keep attacking each other, there's no chance they'll win. No, it's even worse. If Fujiwara's attack gets through, Juudai will lose.

"Why are you despairing?" Rainbow Dragon asks suddenly. They have no real physical forms here, of course, but they like to think that the dragon can feel their stares. What is he talking about?

"Yeah, it's not like we lost yet," Johan agrees, and he activates one of the cards he already had on the field, saving Juudai from certain death by discarding Topaz Tiger. And discarding Topaz Tiger means they're all on the field or in the graveyard, which in turn means…

"You've got it!" Johan tells them, then promptly spends the remainder of his turn to summon Rainbow Dragon. The shock on Fujiwara's face doesn't quite compare to his reaction to Johan and Juudai's earlier plan, but it's still very satisfying.

"It's no use attacking, though," Emerald Turtle warns. "You'll only attack Juudai."

"I know," Johan replies. While Juudai and Fujiwara take their turns, he takes a long look at the cards on his duel disk, then nods. "I use Rainbow Dragon's effect to send every card on the field back to their owners' decks!"

And just like that, they're back to where they started. The playing field has been cleared, and Johan ends his turn by playing one card face-down. He very conspicuously doesn't show it to them, and it makes them wonder what exactly he played. Johan isn't usually this secretive. Something tells them they won't like this.

They don't.

Johan only spares them a quick thought when Juudai gets attacked, but it's enough to make them panic. _I'm sorry._

And then he goes and commits suicide.

Not literally, of course; they're not in the Dark World or in Yubel's World. But he might just as well have. By choosing to sacrifice himself to save Juudai, by choosing to give up the remainder of his life points… He'll disappear. He'll disappear like Fubuki did.

"Johan, don't!" Amethyst cat tries to stop him, but it's already too late. With the last of his life points gone, he collapses onto the ground. Juudai is safe, but Johan lost. He'll disappear, like the others. He'll disappear, and there's nothing they can do to stop it!

He doesn't.

They don't even try to wonder why he doesn't. They're too busy thanking whoever has made sure that Johan is still around. Unconscious, yes, but after a minute or two it becomes clear that he's not going to vanish. Ruby cuddles up to him, trying to wake him up, and they only briefly pay attention as Juudai brings back Rainbow Dragon to summon Rainbow Neos, but the rest of the duel mostly passes them by. It doesn't take long anyway. And with Fujiwara beaten, Johan wakes up again.

"Johan, thank goodness," Cobalt Eagle sighs. Johan sends them a quick reassuring thought, but even beating Fujiwara doesn't seem to have solved the crisis they're in. He was merely a pawn. Juudai goes off to find the real culprit, leaving them alone with Fujiwara and Honest.

And then, just when everything seems to be looking up, it all goes to hell again.

They'll never be able to fully recount what happens next. But what they all remember is a hooded figure bearing down on Fujiwara. What they see is Honest trying to protect him, but ultimately failing. And while they look on, helpless, the figure turns to Johan.

They're powerful. Rainbow Dragon's power on its own is enough to form a bridge between dimensions, and combining the power of all eight of them can create miracles. But this being's power far outstrips theirs. This is a primordial creature, an evil that has been around since the beginning of time, long before they were created. Darkness.

Just as sudden as it began, it's over.

----

And then it all starts again.

They do not know what happened. They only know that Juudai has beaten Darkness and that his defeat must have freed them. But the details are unimportant. They survived and they made it to the end of the year. After everything, after a year filled to the brim with trouble, they're still around. All of them.

Maybe it was hard. Maybe they wished they'd never gone to Duel Academia or lived through all of this, but in the end, it was worth it. Because they're all still here, all still united. Those who tried to shatter their little family never succeeded.

They never will.


End file.
